Pattern means for knitting machines



F. c. wlEsl-NGER Eu-AL 351082469 PATTERN MEANS ma mmm-.ms moxamNEs J2 kShea ifs-Sheet. Ll

Oct. 29, 41963 Filed April ll, '1960 IN VEN T0R.\` FREDsR/cx C. Wiss/Nase THoMAs C. LYs TER A TTORNE Y Oct. 29,` 1963 F. c. wlEslNGER ETAL l '3,108,460

` PATTERN MEANS FOR KNITTING MACHINES V `Filed April 11, 1960 2 Sheets-Shamb 2 IN VEN TORIL` FREDERICK GMES/Nam THOMAS C. LYsTER H Y BYf A TTORNE Y United States Patent Olice 3,108,460 Patented Oct. 29, 1963 3,108,460 PATTERN MEANS FR KNITTING MACHINES Frederick C. Wiesinger, Feasterville, and Thomas C.

Lyster, Philadelphia, Pa., assignors to Wiidman Jaequard Co., Norristown, Pa., a corporation of Pennsyl- Vania Filed Apr. 11, 1960, Ser. No. 21,253 1 Claim. (Cl. 66-50) This invention pertains to improvements in knitting machines and more specifically, to novel cam means in combination with pattern selecting means for increasing the pattern possibilities of certain types of knitting machines.

It is a general object of the invention to increase pattern possibilities of multifeed, independent needle knitting machines, especially double cylinder machines.

A more specific object is that of increasing such pattern possibilities so that at any desired feeding and knitting station of these machines one may provide for selectively welting needles or tucking them.

A further object is that of controlling tucking in machines of the type described by selecting means effective to raise needles to a tuck level through selecting jacks without employing needle cams at that time.

Further objects include utilizing a selecting function adapted to raise jacks from one level to a uniform, higher level and then causing needles thus selected to tuck by means of jack control only, whereas those needles selected tothe same level are caused to knit or to transfer at other feeding stations by cam action on the needles themselves or their sliders.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following disclosure.

In multifeed knitting machines of the type described, especially double cylinder machines, it has been common practice to select needles (needles and their sliders acting as a unit) by selecting devices adapted to elevate the primary selected instrumentalities (jacks) by raising them to a common level higher by some practical amount than the level which they have assumed before selection. A jack and its needle thus selected have then passed through certain cams at the particular feeding and knitting station involved and, depending upon those cams, has knitted or transferred its stitch or the needle to an aligned needle, or bed as the case may be. In tucking it has been customary to provide tuck cams for the needles which later have had some varied disposal of butts. Thus there has been not possibility of selective tucking at a desired station, even though one may tuck certain needles only as a tuck cam has been projected into active position.

For these reasons, knitting stations have been set up to welt or knit selectively; to transfer selectively, lthe non-selected needles. welting; or to tuck non-selectively. Thus, in practice, a station has had to be a selective knitting, selective transferring or a non-selective tucking station. This limits not only the pattern scope a machine possesses but also, its production. By the term selectively it is meant that, for example, tuck stitches may be formed at a feeding station with a certain disposal patternwise at one course and differently disposed in the next or other following courses. That contrasts with and greatly amplifies the effect produced by tuck cams only acting as they do, on needle or slider butts permanently disposed at some sequence which is invariable once a machine is set up to knit.

According to the instant invention, virtually all mechanism and possibilities heretofore provided are still retained and, in addition, the selection, for example, in a Circular Jacquard type selecting mechanism as disclosed in United States Patent No. 2,082,127, affects jacks which, in turn, affect needles which, instead of welting as they would if not selected, are moved to a tuck level by those same selecting jacks under the inuence of special jack cams.

The invention will be described in greater detail by reference to one preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying figures of drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a section taken through a portion of a double cylinder, multifeed knitting machine to which the invention has been applied.

FIG. 2 is a development of a cam section of this machine, these cams being envisioned as if viewed from the outside of the machine looking toward the center, the cams moving from left to right while needles and jacks are maintained relatively stationary in the sense of angular motion or rotation about the vertical axis of the machine.l

FIG. 3 is a section showing needles, sliders and jacks and more particularly, the alignment of butts of these instrumentalities with cams which affect them.

Now referring to FIG. 1, enough of a multifeed, double cylinder knitting machine is illustrated to show those parts most intimately associated with the invention. Aligned lower-and upper cylinders 10 and 11 are slotted in the usual manner for acting as beds or carriers for needles 12 having hooks and latches at each end, sliders 13 in the lower cylinder and 14 in the upper to actuate the needles, and in the lower cylinder, selecting jacks 15. These sliders have butts 16 for control by cams in the lower cylinder and, of course, the upper sliders have similar butts although they are not of concern here.

Jacks 1S have butts 17 for engagement with special cams hereinafter to be described and also, a foot portion 18 at or adjacent their lower ends which serve as a bearing under which raising levers' 19 act.

As specifically illustrated here, the cylinders are relatively stationary as is a base 20 adjacent the outer periphery of which are affixed selecting means generally indicated by numeral 21. An elevated ring or bearing member 22 is supported on posts 23 and has rotatably borne therein a plate 24, gear driven, and to which are attached the several cam sections 25. The cams themselves will be more specifically described in later paragraphs.

The selecting means 21 comprises a bracket 26 having rotatably mounted on a shaft 27 a drum 28 over which is carried and driven an endless pattern strip 29. A plurality of selector levers 30, one for each needle, are spaced apart in the bracket and maybe moved both radially of the machine and also swung about a pivot 31. l Drum 28 has groovesI 32 along its cylindrical surface and the strip 29 has pattern apertures punched in it aligning with the grooves and through which spring urged pins 33 may pass into a groove in the drum. The drum is advanced either intermittently or continuously and any selector lever30 the pin 33 of which enters a groove will be carried radially inwardly of the machine until its inner end moves to a point where a notch 34 aligns with an approaching cam 35 by which that lever is tilted downwardly. It then presses on the outer end of lever 19 to rock it about its pivot and thus raise the corresponding jack 15. Springs 36 return levers 30 to inactive position after cam 35 has passed and they are then in position to receive another selection.

Cams 35 are mounted at the lower end of posts 37 fixed in rotating plate 24 and are timed to engage selected levers for affecting jacks and, of course, sliders and needles prior to those latter elements performing some desired function at a station.

The mechanism so far described is generally known and has been described in United States Patents Nos. 2,082,127; 2,465,465; 2,786,343; 2,814,937 and 2,883,841.

Referring to FIG. 2, cams involved at both the upper and lower cylinder are shown as they would appear viewed from outside the cylinders. These rotate counterclockwise and move past the needles, sliders and jacks. At the lower cylinder cams include a stitch cam 38, raise cam 39, a draw down cam 40, gate cams 41 and 42, French welt cam 43, dividing cam 44, movable transfer cam 45 and stationary transfer cam 46, tuck cam 47 and then, at the start of the next section, a second knitting cam 38. These cams all affect butts 16 on sliders at the lower level.

At the jack level, butts 17 on these elements are affected by novel cams aixed to the section or to plate 24 at a depending bracket 48. These cams comprise a dividing cam 49, an overthrow cam or leveling cam 50 and a jack tuck cam 51. The cams 49 and 50 define a channel 52 in which butts of selected jacks ride from the selecting zone until they reach the tuck cam. A cam 53 lowers all jacks to a rest or non-selected position.

Again referring to FIG. 2, the upper cam cylinder is more or less a reproduction of that at the lower level, but, of course, cams are inverted as compared to their position at the lower cylinder. There are a stitch cam 54, gate cams 55 and 56, dividing and guard cams 57 and 58 and a transfer cam 59. Other cams are generally xed and need no description here.

The machine may be set up with any reasonable number of these tuck stations, for example, every other feed might be a tuck station and embody the cams described. Of course, there should be one or more knitting stations and at least one transfer station. Several tuck stations may be set up in direct sequence if desired.

At a knitting station at which there would be no tuck cams 49-51, the gate cams 41 and 42 should be elevated if all needles are to knit in the lower cylinder. Then there need be no selection for that purpose at that feeding station. Otherwise, these gate cams are lowered and a selected needle is raised so its slider elevated by its jack in known manner presents its butt to ride up above cam 44. Cam 45 will be withdrawn at the time and butts pass along to be lowered and cause their needles to knit beneath cam 38. Cam 44 raises needles to a latch clearing and yarn taking level. Those needles not selected have their slider butts guided beneath cam 44, do not clear nor take yarn but merely hold their previously drawn stitches or welt.

At a feeding station at which certain needles are to be transferred to the upper cylinder selectively, a special transfer jack cam (not shown) is in a conventional way employed along with the selecting means to elevate jacks and sliders so that their needles are released to the corresponding sliders in the top cylinder as butts pass up cams 44, 45 and 46. Thus needles so transferred then knit at cam 54', a following cam 59 being in position transfers those needles right back to the lower cylinder.

Of course, if l x 1 or 2 x 2 rib is to be knitted, then a slider butt setup may effect such work in a known way without any assistance from the selecting means.

In selective tucking and weltng, each feeding station, or cam section individual to such a station, must have the cams 49-51 associated with it and while tuck stitch patterns are being formed, the gate cams 41 and 42 are in lowered position, FIG. 2, French welt cam 43 and tuck cam 47 are also withdrawn from action. Of course, the regular Jacquard knitting and transferring cams are not utilized since these tuck cams replace them. Any jacks 15 which are selected at cam 35 will be raised so their butts 17 enter the channel 52 and then rise up cam 51. At that time they elevate their respective needles to the same level that tuck cam 47 would have had it been in active position, that is, to a level to take yarn but not to clear the old stitch or stitches below the latch. Any needles the jacks of which are not selected will pass along in welt position merely holding their stitches already drawn at some preceding feeding and knitting station.

Thus it may be seen that the novel mechanism shown and described here makes it possible to tuck selectively at any feed so equipped and thus the pattern possibilities or scope of this type of machine patternwise have been greatly enhanced. It is, for example, possible to knit Grenadineff a highly ornamental fabric the structure of which is based on varied tuck stitching, that being something not possible heretofore of being accomplished on double cylinder, independent needle knitting machines. The other functions of such machines are not diminished, except, of course, a feed set up for selective tucking cannot at the same time be a knitting or transfer feed.

While the invention is described as applied to a double cylinder machine, it is not to be understood that it is limited in its application to such a machine only, but may be applied to any and all knitting machines to which the principles herein set forth apply.

While one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it is to be understood that the inventive concept may be carried out in a number of ways. This invention is, therefore, not to be limited to the precise details described, but is intended to embrace all variations and modifications thereof falling within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claim.

We claim:

In a knitting machine, the combination of a stationary needle bed, needles slidable in said bed, jacks individual to said needles, at least one tucking station, selecting means for selectively elevating said jacks from a nonselected elevation to an active level at said tucking station including a step-wise movable pattern tape, pattern controlled selector levers and a single rotating cam effective upon selected ones of said selector levers and upon each step-wise movement of said pattern tape to cause said levers to raise their corresponding jacks to one level only at said station, and a tuck cam at said station effective upon said corresponding jacks subsequent to selection thereof to cause corresponding needles to be raised to a tuck level, all non-selected jacks being adapted to pass inactively through said station.

References Cited in the file of this patent 

